When we make New Year’s resolutions, there’s always common themes. People want to get a bit healthier, or take more control of their financial situation, or travel more – especially considering the last couple of years.
One common theme is that people want to make changes to make their lives a little bit happier. Mental health has come into sharp focus in the last five years or so and especially with the isolating impacts of various lockdowns and periods of limited contact during the COVID-19 pandemic.
And while yes, losing a bit of weight or improving your bank balance will probably take some of the strain of your mental health away, there are few better ways to improve your mood and your life balance than by talking to friends and loved ones.
So, in 2022, why not make the resolution to reconnect with someone that you’ve not spoken to in a long time? It may not only improve your own health but reaching out could also make a world of difference to them to.
How a PI can help
Now with 2022 we haven’t turned over a new leaf to suddenly turn this into a self-help blog, but we do have a relevant point to make on this subject. Because often it’s the oldest friends that are the best, that know us inside-out, and yet sometimes life just gets in the way, and we lose touch with people.
Social media has made it a lot easier to stay connected, but not everyone uses it, and many have recently stopped using some social media platforms after finding they’ve become too dependent, or not being a fan of the lack of digital privacy.
Sometimes you may have lost touch with someone because they don’t want to be found – not necessarily by you, but maybe they’ve had a falling out with other family members, or they’re in financial difficulty and don’t want to be easy for creditors to find. It’s unfortunate, but there are occasions where people are actively choosing to disappear, which can make finding them a little bit tougher.
A private investigator can therefore be a surprisingly useful resource when you’re planning on how to improve your life in the New Year, because they could be just the help you need to find those loved ones that you have lost touch with and bring them back into your life. Even those that are trying to make it difficult to be found.
What information do you need?
Finding people isn’t an exact science, although there are reliable methods that a good PI will use. The simple answer though is that the more information you can provide, the easier and faster it will be for the search to be successful. If you only have a name, then it’ll be difficult – especially if it’s something common like John Smith.
But in reality, most people can provide a little more information than that, at the very least where you knew they lived (even if it’s a town or city) and maybe an old phone number or email address. Even from those details there could be some helpful tidbits that could point a PI in the right direction.
Your best chance, if you do want to reconnect with someone, is to look back over any old information you have about them and make sure you provide as much detail as possible to the PI.
How much does it cost?
As above, there’s no guaranteed method for finding someone and it can be dealt with quite quickly or take a lot longer. Sometimes it is straightforward and at other times it may be quite delicate and require a little bit of tact and careful handling.
All of these factors will impact the cost in the long run, as will if the search involves looking internationally – someone might have decided to move to Spain or France to enjoy their retirement, which adds a layer of complexity.
One thing that you should be sure of is that any good PI, like the team at EJM Investigations, will be clear and upfront about the potential costs at the start, and not blindside you with unexpected bills later down the line. It won’t necessarily be a final price, but you’ll at least understand the potential costs involved before you agree. And also, you can be sure that by using a trusted agency like EJM, that the most direct route will always be taken, saving time and ultimately money.
How long does it take?
It feels like we’re labouring the point a little, but no one missing person search is the same, and it will depend on how much information you have and also just how difficult the person is to find.
If they’re just changed their name but are very active on Facebook, then it probably won’t take too long. If they’re trying to remain under the radar – and they’re good at it – then it might take a while longer. It’s also worth noting that results are never guaranteed and sometimes people just can’t be found.
Again though, based on your personal situation, our team would be able to at least give you an estimate.
What are the legal implications?
An interesting question this – people often wonder if it’s legal to trace someone. And broadly speaking it is, providing you’re doing so for what’s considered to be a legal reason. And if we can verify that your intentions are to reconnect with an old friend, then we would likely be able to act for you.
However, bear in mind that we may not be able to give you their details – the best we might be able to do is to pass on your own to them and leave it up to them to contact you if they want to. So, if you have any old friends or family members that you’ve lost touch with, and you feel that 2022 is the time to make that connection again (especially after everything that’s happened in the last two years) then give our team a call on 01772 334700.